An overwhelming and growing majority of Americans say the United States is heading in the wrong direction, including nearly 8 in 10 Democrats, according to a new poll that finds deep pessimism about the economy plaguing President Joe Biden. Eighty-five percent of U.S. adults say the country is on the wrong track, and 79 percent describe the economy as poor, according to a new survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The findings show that Biden faces fundamental challenges as he tries to motivate voters to vote for the Democrats in the November midterm elections. Inflation has consistently overshadowed a healthy 3.6% unemployment rate as a focus for Americans facing high gasoline and food prices. Even among Democrats, 67% call economic conditions bad. “He’s doing the best he can – I can’t say he’s doing a good job,” said Chuck McClain, 74. “But his opposition is so bad. “I just do not feel that the Democratic Congress is doing enough.” The Las Vegas resident is a staunch Democrat who said he did not lose an election, but said the price of gas and groceries, Russia’s war in Ukraine and the country’s deep political differences have made more Americans feel that Washington does not meet their needs. “My wife and I are very disappointed with where the country is going and we do not have much hope that its political end will improve,” he said. The poll shows that only 39% of Americans approve of Biden’s leadership as a whole, while 60% disapprove. His acceptance rate fell to the lowest point of his presidency last month and remains at that level. The Democratic president is hit hardest by the economy, with 69% saying they disapprove of the issue. Among Democrats, 43% disapprove of Biden’s handling of the economy. Only 14% say things are going in the right direction, down slightly from 21% in May and 29% in April. In the first half of 2021, about half of Americans said the country was heading in the right direction, a number that has been steadily eroding over the past year. Dorothy Vaudo, 66, said she voted in favor of Biden in 2020, but plans to change her faith this year. “I’m a Democrat, so I had to vote Democratic, but that will change,” said Martin, a resident of North Carolina. In recent weeks, Americans have suffered even worse economic news, with inflation continuing to rise, interest rates rising dramatically and the S&P 500 entering a bear market as many serious economists predict a recession. However, consumer spending has largely kept pace and recruitment remains fast, indicating that families and businesses have been able to bear some of the financial pain. In an interview with the AP this month, Biden spotted a drop in his popularity over the rise in gas prices that began a year ago. He said prices had risen further with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. However, he dismissed claims by Republican lawmakers and some senior economists that the $ 1.9 trillion coronary relief package from last year had contributed to inflation, noting that price increases were a global phenomenon. “We are in a stronger position than any other nation in the world to overcome this inflation,” Biden said. “If I am to blame, why is it that in every other large industrialized country in the world inflation is higher?” Douglas Gavilan, a 26-year-old in Miami, is worried about the “price spikes” and rents he sees in his community. Housing costs are about a third of the US consumer price index, so rising rents and home values have begun to weigh on the budgets of even many people living where there are great job opportunities. “I do not even know if I will be able to live here in a few years,” Gavilan said. “I certainly do not feel confident about the economy.” Although he does not identify with a political party, Gavilan voted for Biden in 2020. He does not believe that Biden has proposed anything to make a significant difference in his life, but he does believe that the president is in a difficult position. “There is very little he can do without everyone blaming him for everything,” Gavilan said. The poll was conducted Thursday through Monday, with several interviews conducted after the Supreme Court on Friday rejected Roe v. Wade and allowed states to ban abortions – a decision that was opposed by a majority of the American people in previous which could also have contributed to the continuing recession in the national climate. National discontent is bipartisan, the poll shows. Ninety-two percent of Republicans and 78 percent of Democrats say the country is heading in the wrong direction. Since last month, the percentage of Democrats who say the country is heading in the wrong direction has risen from 66%. Biden’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic remains a relatively bright spot, with 53% of Americans saying they approve of handling the issue. On the other hand, only 36% say they approve of Biden’s handling of arms policy. 62% disapprove. But the economy is what weighs heavily on many Americans as their top priority. Curtis Musser, 57, a chemistry professor from Clermont, Florida, said he expects a recession to come, though he believes it will be mild. Musser said many Americans simply feel they are at the mercy of events they do not control, whether it is a pandemic, interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, war in Europe or political hostilities within the United States. “I feel a little helpless as a person,” he said. “I do not have control over the markets and you can not really guess what the markets will do because you do not know what the Fed is going to do. You do not know what Congress is going to do. “You do not know what Vladimir Putin is going to do.”
